Bowling pinsetting apparatus



July 1, 1958 G. A. MONTOOTH 2,841,397

BOWLING PINSETTING APPARATUS Original Filed March 26, 1946 4 Sh66t$-$h66t 1 0 dz; 406 M 3 IN V EN TOR e arye 17/703120??? "roe/vans y 1958 e. A. MONT OOTH 2,841,397

BOWLING PINSETTING APPARATUS Original Filed March 26, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS y 1958 G. A. MONTOOTH 2,841,397

BOWLING PINSETTING APPARATUS Original Filed March 26, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 v M, rdaaw ATTOAQNE'Kj EN 0 @N ill saw (y... NH q; I. r

July 1, 1958 G. A. MONTOOTH 2.8415397 BOWLING PINSETTING APPARATUS Original Filed March 26, 1946 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 eafye. l9- Moi-250075 United States atent 2,841,397 Patented July 1, 1958 BOWLING PINSETTING APPARATUS George A. Mo'ntooth, Long Beach, Cnlifl, assignor to The Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, a corporation of Delaware 1 Original application March 26, 1946, Serial No. 657,233, now Patent No. 2,697,605, dated December 21, 1954. Divided and this application December 1t 1954, Serial No. 474,375

1 Claim. (Cl. 273-43) George A. Montooth and Alfred M. Bowen, Serial No.

657,238, filed March 26, 1946, entitled Machine for Setting Pins on Bowling Alleys, now U. S. Patent No. 2,697,605. Reference may be had to the parent application for a description 'of a complete automatic pinsetter with-which the presently disclosed invention may be utilized.

An object of.the invention is to provide a ball lift movable up and down, a pin setting rack movable up and down through a frame opening, a movable pin deck cover. for closingthe frame opening, a movable pin deck 'guard,--meansmechanically interconnecting the ,ball lift, guard and deck cover for simultaneous operation and means for moving the rack. The objects of the invention are attained by the construction and arrangement shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a pinsetting mechanism showing the relationship of the hereinafter claimed mechanisms with the remainder of an automatic pinsetter;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged broken front elevational view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a broken perspective detailed view of a portion of a mechanism shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a broken perspective view showing ball lifting, pin deck covering and guard means in their interconnected relation;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of a switch for initiating operation of the machine;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of spring means normally holding said switch open;

Fig. 7 is a broken longitudinal sectional view, partly in elevation, of a roller embodied in the ball lifting mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a semi-diagrammatic view showing mechanism controlling a drive shaft of the machine and embodying action-delaying means; and

Fig. 9 is a side view of means controlling operation of the rake or squeegee.

in a pit 153 provided with a back stop 104 for receiving are ready for the second ball to be rolled.

the impact of the ball and any pins which may be pro pelled against it. The pit 103 is provided with means 165 for lifting a ball from a low point in the pit to an elevated point from which it is discharged for return or delivery to the bowler, with starting switch means 1% initiating the synchronous movement of various 'portions of the mechanism, and means 107 for moving pins in the pit for elevation therefrom by a pin "lift conveyor 108. The latter serves to move the pins to an'elevated point of the mechanism for discharge into a chute 1'09. A pin magazine 110 receives the pins from the chute 109 and, when filled with a full complement of ten pins, discharges them into a pin spotting .tray'111 therebeneath. Said tray is movable to a position over the deck 101 for extraction of the pins therefrom by a pin setting rack 112. The rack not only serves to receive a full complement of pins from the tray 111 and deposit them in proper spotted position on the deck'101 but also serves to engage and lift any pins left standing after a ball has been rolled so that said deck can be swipt clear of fallen pins. The rack re-depositssuch pins in the same positions from which they have been lifted subsequent toclearing of .the deck so=1hatthey The mechanism further includes -a guard 113 "which has a normal elevated position and is moved :'to aposition across the alley in front of the deck during Ithe period of operation of the mechanism toiprotect the same against injury by a *prematurelynrblled ball. ":-A squeegee or deck clearing device 114 sometimesq'eferred to as a rake moves vertically with theiguardandalso moves rearwardly to sweep the-deck of fallei'rpins after the pin setting rack has lifted standing pins. LThere is also provided a pin deck cover 115 suitably-lelevated with respect to the deck 101 to givear'nple' pin clearance. Said cover 115 is normally closed to protect the'n'ack 112 and other mechanism from injury-by flyingrpins but opens synchronously with the downward mover'rientmf the guard 113 so that the rack 112 may move vertically through the resulting opening. The detailed construction and operation of the parts is set forth in the parent application referred to above. m

Ball lift 105 I,

cal movement -on tracks 121 by means of belts ,122

trained on pulleys 123 mounted on shaft 124 which-may be rotated by suitable means described hereinafter to accomplish raising and lowering of the ball lift at -desired times in the cycle of the automatic -pinse'tter. There is a belt 122- and pulley 123 vat each side oflthe pit and these members at one side of the pit are shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The brackets support a pair of spaced rollers 125 which are arranged transverselyia the pit and at a slight angle from side to side as shown in Fig. 1. A ball leaving the deck 101 will strike back stop 104 and will fall on either of the sloping walls 126 to be guided thereby to fall on said rollers. Pins falling into the pit will be similarly guided. However, the spacing of the roller-s 125 is such that they'will support a ball but allow pins to fall between them. Since'some of the pins may assume a transverse position across -the rollers, one or both may be caused to rotate a's' they-are elevated from the full line position shown 'in- Figs'Jl and 4 to the dotted line position shown in Figgl to dislodge such transverse pins and induce them to between the rollers. As the rollers are raised, the-ball naturally rolls to the low side from where it may he received by a ball delivery mechanism (not shown).

Rotation of one of the rollers 125 is simply effected as seen in Fig. 7'by providing a torsional spring 126 in either roller, in the manner of a shade roller, training a number of turns of rope or cable 127 about the roller, and anchoring said rope or cable as at 128 to a fixed point of the pit. Raising the roller will cause the rope to unwind to rotate the roller in one direction and store energy in the spring -126. Lowering the roller will cause said spring to rotate the roller in the opposite direction and to rewind the rope. Such reversal of rotation insures dislodgement of a transversely disposed pin.

--The means which rotates the shaft 124 is best seen in Fig.- 8. Said means includes a fluid cylinder 129 controlled by a four-way valve 130 to move a piston rod 131. The latter, in turn, is connected to a traveling carriage 132 guided by a track 133 and connected to' a belt 134 trained about upper and lower pulleys 135 and 136, respectively. The latter pulley is mounted on the shaft 124.

The valve.130 is controlled, through a gear and rack 137, by solenoids 138 and .139, the former being in circuit with the starting switch mechanism 106. A hydraulic cylinder 140 is connected by a line 141 to the pressure side of the valve 130 and by a line 142 to the fluid cylinder 129. A check valve-143 is placed in the cylinder 140 between the points of connection of the lines 141 and 142. The cylinder 140 is provided .to prevent a premature elevation of the rollers 125 since,

as will be later described,.the means 106 is operated upon impact of a ball to start elevation of the ball lift.

Accordingly, a by-pass bleeder 144 is provided between 'the line 141iand the cylinder 140 and a piston 145 having a stem 146 is arranged-in said cylinder. The stem 146 ,unseats the check valve 143 within a' short time interval after operation of tl1e-means' 106. and:consequent opening of the valve130 to fluid pressure. At first, the line 141 will be closed by check valve =143. However, as the stem 146 is'raised by fluid pressure from the bleeder 144, ,said check valve will beopened to admit fluid pres .sure' to cylinder 129 and cause downward movement of carriage 132. Fluid returns to the valve 130 from the cylinder-129 by a line 147 and returns from cylinder 140 bya bleeder line 148. g

Means are provided to close the valve 130 when desired elevation of the rollers 125 is attained. Said means is shown as-comprising an arm 149 fixed with the gear 137, a rod 150 carried by said arm, an adjustable stop collar 151 on the rod, and -.abracket 152 carried by the carriage and arranged to engage said stop collar. The solenoid 138 will raise the arm 149 as the line 141 is opened to pressure and the bracket 152 will depress said arm to close valve 130 upon desired elevation of the rollers 125.

Energization of-solenoid 139 causes return of the carriage and depression of the rollers 125. Since this action may occur rapidly, the cylinder 140 is by-passed, and the line 147 is utilized to carry the pressure fluid from the valve 130 to the cylinder 129 to raise the piston rod 131 and the carriage 132. An adjustable collar 153 on the rod 150 is engaged by the rising bracket 152 to restore the valve 130 to closed position upon desired depression of the rollers 125.

Starting'switch mechanism 106 This component of the machine includes the brackets 120 which in their lower position rest on stops 155 carried -at the lower ends of the tracks 121. The brackets 120 aredesigned as bellcrank levers each having ahorizontal the track 121 and provided with' a' spring 158 reactively pressing the arm '156 outward and the rollers 125 upward (Figs. 4 and 6). The brackets 120 pivot about -the rollers 155a which engage the tracks 121.

When a ball strikes the rollers 125, they will be depressed causing pivotal movement of the brackets 120 and compression of the springs 158. By placing a microswitch 159 on one track 121 and an actuator angle strip 160 on an arm 156, depression of said rollers 125 will cause closing of the switch 159 to energize the mentioned solenoid 138 and institute lifting of the rollers 125 away from stops 155. It will be evident that the ball may strike the rollers 125 and gyrate about before settling into position. A premature raising of the rollers may cause the ball to be left behind in the pit. It is for this reason that the delayed action of the ball lift, as caused by the cylinder 140, is employed.

Guard 113, squeegee 114 and pin deck cover 115 These components of the machine operate in unison and are interconnected mechanically as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4.

The guard comprises an outwardly padded transversely arranged member 396 which is providedwith lateral slide brackets 397 for sliding engagement with guide bars 398. The guard is moved between high and low positions by means of cables 399 connecting said guard with a pulley 400 on shaft 124.

The squeegee or rake comprises a transverse board 401, movable up and down with the guard 113, and supported at either end by slide bars 402 which form part of carriages 403. Lugs 404 on board 401 interconnect the guard and squeegee for vertical movement together. Tracks 405 serve to guide the horizontal alley sweeping movement of the squeegee. The carriages 403 have rollers 405a which engage the tracks 405 and guide the carriage during the alley sweeping movement.

The pin deck cover consists of a pair of relatively longitudinally movable panels 406 and 407 arranged to open and close an opening 408 in ceiling 409 arranged above the pin deck to separate the mechanism thereabove from an alley area in which the ball and pins operate. The pin spotting rack 112 moves through said opening when the cover panels 406 and 407 are retracted. Similar structure for moving the panels is provided at both sides thereof. The panel 406 is connected by a bracket 410 to a cable 411 trained over idler pulleys 412 and operated by pulley 413 on operating shaft 124. The panels are interconnected by a rod 414 fixed at one end to a lug 415 on panel 406, slidable through a lug 416 on panel 407 and provided with an abutment 417 engageable with the latter lug. Rotation of shaft 124, in one direction, will cause cable 411 to first move panel 406 to a position beneath and coextensive with panel 407. Then by engagement of lugs 415 and 416, the panels will move together in the same direction to completely open opening 408. Reverse rotation of said shaft will first move panel 406. Then as abutment 417 picks up lug 416, both panels will move to cover opening 408.

The squeegee operating means, shown in Figs. 2 and 9 comprises a fluid pressure valve 437 for delivering fluid under pressure from a pump 243 driven by a motor 244 to either the top or bottom of a hydraulic cylinder 438, said valve being controlled by solenoid 420. The line 245 connects the pump 243 and the valve 437. When said solenoid is energized it positions valve 437 to deliver fluid under pressure through line 439 to the top of cylinder 438 forcing a carriage 440, connected to the piston rod of said cylinder, down along a track 441. A belt 442, trained over spaced pulleys 443, is connected with the carriage 440 to effect rotation of a shaft 444 driven by the lower of said pulleys. This shaft is transversely mounted above and forward of the alley deck 101 and carries pulleys 445 at each side of the alley. A pair of belts 446 trained over the latter pulleys and aligned, free running pulleys 447, are connected at 448, with squeegee carriages 403. Downward movement of carriage 440 will, therefore, move squeegee carriages 403 rearwardly along tracks 405. I

The carriage 440 is provided with a bracket 449 associated with a rod 450 connected with a lever 451 movable with the valve 437. Said rod carries adjustable spaced stops 452 and 453. It is evident that rearward movement of the squeegee is arrested by closing of valve 437 when bracket 449 engages stop 452 to cause lever 451 to close said valve. An overcenter spring 454 is connected to lever 451 so that when said lever is pulled down by stop 452 to close the valve, said spring will continue the movement of the lever to open the valve for conduction of fluid under pressure through line 455 to the lower end of cylinder 43%. This causes return of the squeegee to its forward position where it is stopped when bracket 449 encounters stop 453 to close the valve. The valve is held closed and the spring 454 is ineffective to open it while the bracket 449 is engaged with stop 453.

From the foregoing it will be seen that shaft 124 functions to interconnect ball handling and pin handling mechanisms which are movable up and down, namely the ball lift 105 and rake or squeegee 114, so as to partially counterbalance each other.

I claim:

in combination with a bowling alley having a pin deck, a frame, a ball lift mounted on the frame for up and down movement, a pin setting rack movably mounted on the frame, for movement toward and away from the pin deck, means defining an opening in the frame through which the pin setting rack may pass in movement toward and away from the pin deck, a pin deck cover movably mounted on the frame for closing the opening and movable to clear the opening to permit passage of the pin sett'ng rack toward and away from the pin deck, a pin deck guard mounted on the frame for up and down movement and also for back and forth movement along the pin deck, and means for mechanically interconnecting the ball lift, the pin deck guard and the pin deck cover for moons operation whereby the pin deck guard is lowered and the frame opening cleared preparatory to movement of the pin setting rack through the opening and a ball raised by the ball lift, and means for moving the min deck guard back 11d forth to clear the pin deck 0" creon subsequent to the mentioned movement of the pin setting rack.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

